


"By Any Means" Alternate ending

by JonnWood



Category: Major Crimes (TV)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Gun Violence, Police, Present Tense, Season/Series 06 Spoilers, Spoilers, Violence, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 00:35:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13329762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JonnWood/pseuds/JonnWood
Summary: What if the series had ended a slightly different way?





	"By Any Means" Alternate ending

Stroh bends down, reaches for the cuffs, and grabs his ankle gun. He’s younger, faster. Provenza’s shot goes wide, but Stroh wings the older man in the shoulder, and Provenza drops his gun.

Buzz, Gus, and Rusty all hear the shot. Buzz rushes downstairs, Rusty starts running.

Stroh crosses the room. He’s standing over Provenza, about to kill him-

But wait. What’s the one thing Stroh always wants? Control. Information.

He asks Provenza where the others are. How many of them are there? Provenza, of course, gives him nothing. This amuses Stroh. He smiles, then forces Provenza in front of him, pushes the older man toward the stairs-

Where Rusty is coming up, gun out, pointed at Stroh. He’s trembling, he’s shaking, and this amuses Stroh even more. He’s taunting, contemptuous. He doesn’t believe Rusty could actually do it. Now, he says, Rusty’s going to get out of the way, and let Stroh walk off this boat-

Rusty fires.

And misses.

Almost.

The graze along Stroh’s cheek makes him flinch, but Provenza has already thrown himself at Rusty. They both tumble down the steps, miraculously not breaking any bones. Stroh looks at the stairs, then the door. He can either run, or kill the other two men.

He goes for the stairs.

Rusty is waiting, in a firing stance.

He gets to see the look of surprise - and, yes, fear - on Stroh’s face, right before the bullet hits him. And the second bullet. And the third.

Stroh touches his chest in shock. He tries putting his hand on the wall to steady himself, but just slides down the wall as he collapses.

Rusty stares at the dead man, looks right into his lifeless eyes.

Provenza gets to his feet. “Are you all right?”

“I-I killed him.”

Gently, gently, Provenza takes the gun, puts it aside. “Look at me, Rusty.”

Rusty doesn’t.

“Look at me.”

Rusty flinches, turns.

“You did the right thing, Rusty. You saved my life. If Sharon were here, she’d say the same thing.”

Rusty nods, open mouthed, gaze distant. Then, and only then, does he start to cry.

”It’s all over,” Provenza says. He gathers Rusty for a hug. “It’s all over.”


End file.
